Romper vs. Simmons 2005

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, which for 25 years has
been calling for an end to the use of the death penalty, is very
encouraged that the Supreme Court has recognized that executing juvenile
offenders is indeed cruel and unusual. Almost three years ago, the
Court concluded that the execution of persons with mental retardation
cannot be reconciled with the constitutional guarantee against cruel and
unusual punishment. We are gratified to see the Supreme Court extend
the same moral wisdom and legal reasoning to the use of the death
penalty against those who committed capital crimes as juveniles. This
ruling affirms the position held by a broad cross section of religious
denominations, child advocacy groups, and legal and medical
organizations.

In the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ brief on this case,
in which 29 other religious groups joined, we pointed out with our
colleagues in the Missouri Catholic Conference that persons under 18
cannot vote, serve in the military, make decisions about their own
medical treatment, or even buy a pack of cigarettes, but until now they
could be treated like adults for the purpose of the death penalty.

While we continue to work to oppose any use of the death penalty for
what it does to human life and how it diminishes our society, we are
pleased that the Supreme Court has confirmed that standards of decency
have evolved and that the U.S. has joined the rest of the world in
outlawing the executions of those who commit capital crimes as
juveniles.

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